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Is Your Brand’s Social Media Two-Faced?

You have a brand and your brand has a face. What to do when it comes to social media? First, be brave. Don’t shy away from multiple social media profiles simply because you are uncertain how to proceed. If you have something to say from multiple angles, then PREACH. Just don’t do more harm than good with poor execution. Luckily you are here, and you have us. Our turn to preach!

Differentiation

The first rule of thumb when utilizing more than one Facebook, Google+ or Twitter account for the same company is DO NOT PUBLISH THE EXACT SAME CONTENT. Otherwise, one profile would have been sufficient. If you are going to have a page for each location of your store, for example, make sure to differentiate between the locations and the brand page. At a local level, your clientele will be interested in weekly deals and events that pertain specifically to their locale. At the brand level, talk to them about who you are, your something interesting (philanthropic nature, for example) and also your excellent customer service.

Words of Wisdom

So, what if you do not have several locations but your company has a “face”. Great! But be sure s/he has something to say. And be sure this person sounds like, well, a person. Not a company – that is what your brand page is for. Living Lands and Waters does a great job of this with their face, Chad Pregracke. He speaks in the tone that allows his audience to really get to know him. The actual content itself can be just about anything heartfelt so long as it is somehow related. At the end of the day, your followers should feel like they are bff’s with you. It’s that celebrity effect and transparency is key. Luckily for us laypeople, personal branding is not just for those who want to become famous or dream of online guru-ship.

Unify

We find it doesn’t work so well when too many cooks are in the writer’s chair. Ideally, you’ll have one person creating that unique voice for each account. This will allow for consistency in all areas – timing, subject matter, tone, etc. This strategy is meant to evoke thought, emotion, and connectivity with your fans. People buy from people they like; trust is a huge factor and this type of transparency creates a virtual bond with your audience that, once formed, is very tough to break. Every seller, manufacturer, contract, retailer, restaurant, etc. follows the 80/20 rule whether they realize it or not. And if 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers, you better believe those 20% have faith in you. You built that and it’s your job to keep it going. Not a problem though because you aren’t going to fix what isn’t broken.

Thanks for letting us preach for another week. Please comment below on your complex social media management process. We’d love to hear what is working for you or answer any specific questions you have. Next week, you will hear from @terrostarbrenna on a topic that is “to be announced” per her request. We hope you like surprises!